Friction shock absorbing mechanism



Aug. 28, 1934. s. B. HASELTIN 1,971,407

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MEGHANISM Filed June 19. 1929 Figi Patented Aug. 28, 1934 `FmorloN sHooK AesonINo MECHANISM Stacy B. Haseltne, Chieagorlll., assigner `to vW. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application June 19, 1929,;sera1 Nt. airain s claims. (o1. zia- 24) This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms. a

One object of the invention is to provide a friction shockabsorbing mechanism, especially adaptedfor railway draft riggings, having light initial actionproduced by spring resistance means, and ultimate high capacity produced by frictionlwedge means. Y

Another fobject of the invention is to provide a frictionshock absorbing mechanism including a pair of laterally movable spring resisted memb`ers,'-means for forcing said members `toward each other to compress the spring resistance including end followers movable toward each other and having frictional engagement with said laterallymovable members, and separate spring'resistance means opposing relative vapproach 4of said end followers.

AA Vfurther object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbingmechanisin including a pair of longitudinally disposed members having laminated plate spring resistance means interposed therebetween opposing lateral approachY Pof the same; means forvforcing said members laterally-toward eachother, including relatively movable end'f'ollowers;` and additional spring reresistance means opposing rela-tive approachV of the end followers.

providea friction shock absorbing mechanism of the double ended type, 'including a pair of spaced,

longitudinally disposed members having wedge faces Yat opposite ends thereof;` laminated plate posed members to wedge the latter inwardly to` ward each other upon relative'approach of the followers; and spring resistance means opposing.,`

relative movement of the followers,

Still another object ofthe invention is to pro-v vide a friction shock absorbing mechanism of the character indicated `in the preceding paragraph wherein the wedge faces of one of the followers` are normally spaced from the wedgefaces at the corresponding ends of the longitudinallyy disposed members to provide for a certain amount of rela-- tive movement of the followers withoutactuation of the said longitudinally disposed members, during the first` part of the compression "stroke,to'

produce relatively' light initial resistance lof thel mechanism. l l l l Other objects fof the invention `will more clearly appear from'lthe description and Vclaims here-*- inafter following. i A Y -In the drawing, forming a part of this specification,` Figure l is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of the underframe struc# 'tu'rerof a railway car,'illustratingv my improvei ments in connection therewith. nFigures Zand 3 are vertical, transverse, sectional Viewsfcorrel sponding respectively Vto the lines'Zg-Z and 3-#3 of Figure l. Figure 4 is a side elevational View of one-of the .follower members employed incon'f` nection withmy improved shock absorbing ,mecha-' nism. AndrFigure 5 is "a detailed sectionalvie'w', partly broken away, corresponding substantially 'to Vthe line 5"-5 of Figure 2Q i In saidY drawing, f l0`l04 indicate channel-' shaped center or' draft sills of a railway car underframe, to the a innen sides of which are Secure'dlfront stop lugsl ll-ll and rear stop lugs 12-12. The innerend portion of the coupler shank is indicated by 13 and has operatively connected thereto a hooded yoke 1 4 of wellknown form;` My improved shock absorbing mechanism'- isoperativ'ely Vdisposed within the yoke andthe yoke in turn is supported by a saddle plate l5; detachably secured to the draft sills 10; `l My improved shock absorbing mechanism comu-iv prises broadly a front follower" A; arear fol- 1 lower B; a `-pairfof f longitudinally disposed," .Amore specific object of the mvention 1s to` laterally movable sideme'mbers -,C-C; ra lamif' `riated` spring resistance means AD'between the laterally movable members; `spring resistancej means Ea-'E at opposite sides of the laterally' movable members and cooperating with lthefol'` lowers; a pair of `spring resistance members Fs-lili and a pair of retainer bolts G-G. j 'a Ilfhe front follower A is in the form of a substan' tially rectangular box-like casting VVhaving spaced, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls 16%16; longitudinally extending spaced sidewalls' 1'7--17 and a transverse, vertical front` en lfwallgl i 18 cooperating with the stop lugs 1l in the-manner of the usual front follower. At the 'frontend ofv the casing, theA side; walls- `1'7 are inwardly: in# clined as indicated at 19--19 to-provide opposed" interior wedge faces 20-20`diverging rearwardly' of the mechanism. Adjacent `the inner `end of the; casing, thesidewalls are provided with central spring abutments 21-21 for a purpose herein-1- after pointed out. -"Adjacent the frontend, the top and bottom walls of the casing are providad#-r with stop shoulders 22-22 adapted to cooperate with the side members C-'C` toilmit rearward movement of the same with respect tothef fol`r lower'casing A. As most clearly shown in Figuresr los 2, 3, and 4, the side walls 17 of the casing A are interiorly recessed between the top and bottom sides of the casing to accommodate the outer sides of the spring resistance elements F-F, the recesses opening through the side walls of the casing as most clearly shown in Figure 4.

The rear follower B is in the .form of a hollow casing having spaced top and bottom walls 23-23, spaced vertical side Walls 24-24 and a transverse, rear end wall cooperatingv with the rear stop lugs 12 of the draft sills. As shown, the side walls 24 of the casing are relatively thick and inclined wall portionsy 2626 are provided between the end wall 25 and the main portion of the side walls 24, the inclined wall sections 26 presenting opposed interior wedge faces 27-27 converging rearwardly of the mechanism.

The side members C-C are of similar design', and are arranged lengthwise of the mechanism between the front and rear followers A and B. Each! side member is in the form of a relatively heavy rectangular plate having inturned top, bottom and end anges 28--28 to provide a pocket for the laminated plate springs D. On the outer side each plate C is provided with a laterally extending lug 29 between; the ends thereof adapted. tov form an abutment for the-inner end of the corresponding spring resistance element F. Each plate C is. provided with wedge faces 30--30 at the oppositev ends thereof correspondingly inclined to and adapted to cooperate respectively with. the wedge faces` 20 and 27 of the front and rear followers at-the same side of the mechanism.

As-most clearly shown in Figure 1, the-stopl lug 29v of each side member C is so disposed that the whenl the parts are: inthe full release positionr with the wedge face 30 at thefront end ofy the side member engaging the wedgeface 20. of the front follower.

The laminated plate spring resista-nce D comprises four spring members, arranged in pairs at opposite sides of themechanismA and interposed between the two side members EachA laminated; plate spring is.; composed of a plurality of curved1 spring plates arranged lengthwise of the mechanism. with the convex inner surface ofr the. laminated plate spring in engagement with thel opposed convex, curved surface at the inner side oftheelaminated-platespring at the opposite, side of the mechanism. Asis shownl in- FigureV 1-,l

the. two. members ofv eachA pairA of laminated plate springs-aree arranged endl to end relation. The members` of each pair` are. seatedin` the pocket of the corresponding sidemember C and are thus held. assembled with the mechanism. vIn order to. protect the members. C- from wear, the pocket of each member is provided with: a hanged liner 36e fitting the walls thereof. The laminated springs areheld against accidental displacement byY relatweenthe members C.I As shown, the plates 31 arey seated. in transverse. slotsl 32--3-2. provided at thetop and bottom of the side-members and the flanges ofthe-liners are notched to accommodate the plates/31 soithat they are flush with the liners. As will. be evident, the bottom plates 31 support the laminatedplate springs and prevent thefsame from. accidentally dropping between the memrear followers, the coils being disposed at the four corners of the followers. The spring resistance elements F-F are arranged lengthwise of the mechanism at opposite sides of the pair of side members and each element is interposed between abutment means 33 at the front end of the front follower and the abutment means 2l at the inner end of the follower. As shown in Figure 2, the spring resistance elements F-F are interposed between the top and bottom spring members of the spring resistance E at the same side of the mechanism and are accommodated within the recesses at the sides of the casing A. The inner end of each spring element F also bears on the lug 29 of the corresponding side member. As will be evident, expansion of the spring resistance elements F is limited in extent to the spacing between the abutments 33 and 21. The spacing between these abutments is such that the rear ends of the side members C will be spaced from thewedge faces 27 of the rear follower B. In order to prevent accidental displacement of the. side members C lengthwise of the mechanism, each side member is provided with a shoulder 34 at' the forward end thereof, engaging with the shoulder 22 at the same side of the casing A. As will be evident, by engagement of the shoulders 22 and 34 with each other, the full release position of the members C will be positively determined and the position thereof will be that illustrated in Figure l.

The mechanism isf held assembled and of overall uniform length by the retainer bolts G which are disposed at opposite sides of the mechanism andhave their front and rear ends anchored respectively tothe front follower casing A and the rear follower casingB, the-Shanks of the bolts extending through alined openings in the walls 24 of the rear follower Bf and openings inv the lugs 29, ofthe side membersC. The parts are preferably so adjusted'when assembled that the spring resistance elements E and the laminated springs D are under initialV compression in the full release position ofthe mechanism.

The operation` of my improved shock absorbing mechanism, during either a buing or draft action, is as follows: The front and rear follower casings A and B` will bemoved relatively inwardly toward each other lengthwise of the mechanism. During the rst part of the'compression stroke, the side; members C will remain stationary with respect tor the front follower A while the wedge faces 30 at'the rear ends ofthe side members and the wedge faces 27 of thev follower B approach eachother. During this action,V the spring elements E only will be compressed, thereby providing'light, preliminary resistance during theI initial compression of the mechanism- During the continued Vrelative movement. of the front and rear followers, the wedge faces 30at the rear ends of the side members will befengaged by the wedge faces 27 of the follower B. After engagement of these wedge faces, theside members C will be wedged laterally inwardly toward each other by the wedge faces of the front and rear followers whichcooperate with the wedge faces 30 at the front and rear ends of the side members. As the side members are forced laterally toward each other, the laminated plate spring resistance means D will be compressed, thereby greatly in'- creasing the resistanceoffered. The resistance will further be augmented by slippagel ofv the wedge,- faces of the followers on the wedge faces 30'of the side members, the followers in. their relative approach moving' inwardly longitudinally iai:

on" the wedge faces 30. `Due `tothe-.inward movement fof. .the follower A" Vw-ithx'respect to the sidei follower; `and the lugs 29 of athe `side members.l Compression of the mechanism willbeilimted by engagement of the inner endof the front follower casingfA` with the front endof the vrear follower' casing. -The parts are preferably so proportioned that the opposite ends of the side members C will alsoengagethe end walls-of `the followersA and B when the followers engage each other. p When the parts engage eachother, as pointedout, the springresistance means D, E andF. will be relieved from. further lcompression andthe followers A and rB, together withthe side members C,V form column load transmittingmeans` for transmitting the actuatingfforce directly to the stop In` release of the mechanism, when the actuatin'g `force is reduced, the expansive action of the spring elements E will force the followers A `and B apart, the laminatedplate spring means D in ll returning to its normal condition willV separate the sidefmembers C,and the spring elements F will force' theside members C rearwardly withlrespect i tothe fronty follower Ab'y engagement with the lugs 29luntil expansionof these elements is lim` itedfby engagement with the fixed abutments V2l of` said follower.` Furtheraccidental rearward displacement of the members C with respect to the follower casing A will be positively prevented by4 engagement of the shoulders 3'4 of saidmembers 11 with the-shoulders 22 ofl the vfollower A. After expansioniofthe spring elementsF has been limited, expansion ofA the spring elements E con-f tinuesfthby" returning the followers A and B to the separated condition shown in Figure 1, outward movement of the followers with respect to each other being limited by the retainer bolts G.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the drawing, it will be evident that I have provided a simple and efficient shock absorbing mechanism of high capacity, having graduated action including light, preliminary spring resistance followed by heavier combined spring and frictional resistance. By employing the laminated plate springs between the side members,

gmaximum capacity spring resistance is obtained opposing lateral approach of the side members, in addition to the spring resistance offered by the coil springs employed. It is further pointed out that in addition to the frictional resistance pro- 11;; vided between the cooperating wedge faces of the front and rear followers and the side members,

frictional resistance is also obtained due to slippage of the plates of the laminated springs on each other, while the springs are being flexed during t; compression of the mechanism.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications xthat come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. l In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a pair of spaced side members;

. of spring means opposing lateral approach of the side members; means for forcing said side members toward each other including followers at opposteends of said side members; spring resistance means directly opposing relative approach of said "i: followers toward e'ach other and additional spring bers; ofyielding means opposing relative movement of said side members laterally toward each other; end followers having inwardly acting wedge means .thereon cooperating with the side members; spring resistance means directly opposing relative movement of said followers; additional spring resistance means directly opposing relative movement `of one of `said followers and said side members lengthwise of the mechanism; and means for-limiting expansion of said additional spring resistance means before full expansion of said first named spring resistance means, thereby spacing the other follower from the corresponding ends of the side members in full release position of the mechanism to provide for light, preliminary action of the mechanism during compression thereof, before said side members'a're actuated.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a pair of longitudinally dis-` posed spaced side members each having abutment means thereon; of laminated plate spring means opposing lateral vapproach of said side members, the plates of said spring members being disposed lengthwise ofthe mechanism; front and rear follower members having laterally inwardly acting wedge means thereon coacting with the opposite ends of said side members, one of said followers having spaced abutment means thereon, spring vresistance means interposed between said spaced abutment means and `cooperating with the abutment means of the side members; `means inf-v terposed between the front and rear follower members yieldingly opposing relative approach of the same; and means for limiting separation of the front and rear followers in release after said spring resistance means has been limited in its expansion, thereby spacing the wedge acting means of one of said followers from the corresponding ends of the side members to provide for a predetermined amount of light, preliminary action of the mechanism during a compression stroke.

4. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with spaced side members movable laterally toward each other; of spring means vopposing lateral approach of said side members; end followers movable toward and away from each other; spring means directly opposing relative approach of said followers; cooperating wedge means on said side members and followers for forcing the side members laterally toward each other upon relative approach of said followers; and abutment means on said followers having shouldered engagement with the side members for limiting lateral separation of said side members, before the followers have been separated to their full extent lengthwise of the mechanism to'effect spacing of one of said followers from the cooperating wedge means of the side members when the followers are separated to their full extent, whereby said followers are movable relatively toward each other to a wedging engagement with said side members, to provide preliminary'action during which said second named spring means only is compressed.

5. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a pair of spaced side members having wedge faces at opposite ends thereof; of spring resistance means opposing lateral approach of said side members; end followers having laterally inwardly actingvwedge faces cooperating -with the wedge faces of said side` members; means for limiting relative separation.

of said side members and holding the same against such-.lateral separation during an appreciable amount of the compression stroke of thelmechanism; means for limiting relative separation of said end followers in a direction lengthwise of the-mechanism with the wedge faces of said respective followers spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing between the wedge faces at the respective ends of the side members, thereby providing apredetermined amount of relative movement between the followers before said wedge faces become active; and spring means yieldingly resisting relative approach of said end followers during the entire compression stroke of the mechanism, said last named spring only being compressed during said predetermined amount of the compression stroke whilesaid side members are held against lateral separation.

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism,- the combination with a` pair of spaced side members having wedge faces at opposite ends and flat outer guide faces parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mechanism; of spring resistance means opposing relative lateralk approach of said side members; end followers, each having opposed flat interior guide faces parallel tothe longitudinal axis of the mechanism and engaged by the outer guide faces at the corresponding ends of the side members, said followers also having opposed interior wedge faces adapted to. engage the wedge faces of the side members; means for limiting relative separation of said end followers in a direction lengthwise of the mechanism with the wedge. faces of vsaid respective followers spaced apart a distance greater than thespacing between the wedge faces at the respective ends of the side members;: and means resisting relative approach of said end followers.

7., In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with spacedside members movable laterally'towardeach other; of spring meansv opposing lateral approach of said side members; end followers movable toward; and away from each other; spring means directly opposing relative approach of said followers; cooperating wedge means von saidisidemembersl and followers for forcing the side members laterally toward each other upon relative approach of said followers;- and means for anchoring said side members to one of said followers to limitlongitudinal relative movement of the follower and side members away fromv each other and to hold the wedge means of said side, members and the other follower separated when the mechanism is fully released 8. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combinationl with spaced side members movable laterally toward each other; of springmeans opposing lateral approach of said side members; end followers movable toward and away from each other; spring means directly opposing relative approach of said followers; cooperating wedge means on said side membersand followers for,l forcing the side members laterally toward each other upon'Y relative approach ofsaid followers; means for limiting relative lateral separation of said side members; and means for anchoringA said side members to one of said followers to limit longitudinal relative movement of the. fol,- lower and side members away from each other and to hold the wedge means of said side members and the other follower separated when the'mechanism is fully released.-

kSTACY B. HASELTINE..

CERTIFICATE or coRREcrtoN. Patent t\tt.-1,971,407.4 August ze,` 1934;

sTAeY HASELTINE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 142, claim 4, before the word"wedging" insert predetermined extent before coming into operative; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to tne record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of September, A. D. 1,934.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) l Acting Commissioner of latentsi 

